The Start of Something New
by Dragonrider2203
Summary: Song-fic showing the changes in Arthur and Merlin's relationship from their first meeting until when they left this earth.


**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Merlin characters, some of the speech or the song.**

**This is my first ever song-fic so I hope it's alright. I don't listen to music much but I do watch a lot of movies, hence the choice of song. **

**The Start of Something New**

_**High School Musical**_

_**Living in my own world  
Didn't understand  
That anything can happen  
When you take a chance **_

Merlin always thought he would spend the all of his life in Ealdor. His only ambition as a child was to be a farmer; but destiny had other ideas. His magic bubbled up at the age of five. His mother worked hard to keep it secret but Merlin was forced to control his emotions much earlier than normal children. As a result he was seen as strange by his peers and excluded from their games. He grew up in his own world, wishing he could be normal. When his mother sent him to Camelot, he resigned himself to yet another group of people labelling him as weird and ignoring him. He had no idea what was about to happen.

_**I never believed in  
What I couldn't see  
I never opened my heart  
To all the possibilities  
**_

Arthur lay in his bed, staring up at the dark canopy and reliving the day's events. His father had executed another sorcerer today; a young man the same age as Arthur. The prince had watched dispassionately, this was a common occurrence. So why couldn't Arthur get the face out of his head? All sorcerers were evil and had to be killed, it was impossible for them not to be. Magic corrupts, Uther always said, Arthur shouldn't feel guilty about it. Maybe it had something to do with the blue eyes with innocence shining out of them, the black hair hiding the tears.

No, he was evil, Arthur told himself, and he deserved to die. The prince rolled over and slipped into a sleep filled with nightmares.

_**I know  
That something has changed  
Never felt this way  
And right here tonight  
**_

Arthur woke up that beautiful spring morning with a feeling that something momentous was going to happen. Shaking it off, he carried on with his usual routine. He was "training" with his lackeys, having some fun with moving target practice when:

"Hey. C'mon, that's enough."

Arthur span on his heel, laughter dying on his lips. The voice seemed to bore into him, obliterating the feeling of emptiness the young man had carried in his heart since his birth.

"You've had your fun, my friend."

At the sight of the gangly, dark-haired and blue-eyed boy, something seemed to click into place in Arthur's life. This confused the prince, who covered it up with the shield of arrogance and pride which had been his defence for many years._  
_

_**This could be the start  
Of something new  
It feels so right  
To be here with you  
And now looking in your eyes  
I feel in my heart  
The start of something new  
**_

Merlin clambered slowly to his feet, panting. He stared wide-eyed at the knife stuck deep in the chair, listening with half an ear to what King Uther said, until:

"You shall be Prince Arthur's manservant."

The words jolted him into action, but his (and Arthur's) protests had no effect. However, later in the evening, as Merlin stood in Arthur's chambers listening to the prince recite a massive list of "what a manservant does", he realised to he wasn't that unhappy. It felt so right to be there with Arthur, even if it was cleaning up after him. Maybe the Dragon was right: their destinies were entwined. 

_**Now who'd of ever thought that  
We'd both be here tonight  
And the world looks so much brighter  
With you by my side**_

Arthur, dressed in a beautifully polished chainmail tunic covered in a fine red cloak, knelt before the throne and the priest that stood before it.

"By the right of blood and battle, arise King Arthur!"

The new king rose shakily to his feet and settled on the throne, then bowing his head as the ornate crown was placed upon it. Confused thoughts whirled around his head. Would he make a good king? What would his people think of him? How would he cope?

There was a flash of colour behind him. He caught a glimpse of dark hair and blue eyes as Merlin to his place behind and to the side of him. The great hall lit up as the sun came out and Arthur felt all his worries melt away. Everything would be alright with Merlin by his side.

_  
__**I know**_

_**That something has changed  
Never felt this way  
I know it for real **_

Merlin could see Arthur was nervous, who wouldn't be when they are about to be crowned king? He finished fastening the red cloak and stood back to admire his handiwork.

"Well?"

"Good work, if I say so myself. Nervous?" Merlin asked.

"Of course not!" exclaimed Arthur.

"Sure. You'll be fine." Merlin smiled at Arthur, who grimaced back.

"You'll be there?" mumbled the soon-to-be king.

"Right besides you."

Arthur straightened up and left the room. Merlin went to follow but was struck by a sudden realisation: Arthur was going to be king! That meant Merlin could finally step from the shadows and bring good magic back to Camelot. A euphoria stronger than anything the warlock had experienced filled his body and he very nearly skipped from the room.

_**This could be the start  
Of something new  
It feels so right  
To be here with you  
And now looking in your eyes  
I feel in my heart  
The start of something new**_

The time had come. It had been a month since Arthur's coronation and he had settled well into the role (with a lot of help from Merlin). The warlock had decided that today was the day he told Arthur about his magic.

He suggested going for a ride to Arthur, to help him relax after a stressful day. They headed into the forest exchanging banter and playing pranks. They were about five miles from the castle when Merlin halted his horse in a clearing. Arthur pulled and dismounted beside him with questioning look on his face.

"Arthur. I have something important to tell you. Please don't interrupt until I'm done."

"Of course. Go ahead."

"Ok. Ummm... Before I tell you I want to say I'm sorry and I wanted but I couldn't risk anyone else overhearing." Merlin took a deep breath. "I can do magic."

Silence.

"I know you think magic's evil but I'd never do anything to hurt you. You have to believe me. I've saved your life more times than you can count."

Silence.

"Say something?" Arthur looked deep into Merlin's eyes.

"I.... can you show me?" Merlin obliged, conjuring a ball of light in his palm. "That was you, in the cave?" Arthur asked.

"I think so... I don't really remember what happened when I was sick."

"Well, you don't look evil, so maybe it's alright." Merlin sighed in relief at the return of Arthur's humour. The ride home was remarkably comfortable, filled with questions from Arthur about magic.

_  
__**I never knew that it could happen  
'Till it happened to me  
I didn't know it before  
But now it's easy to see  
**_

Battle raged around him, filling the air with the clash of metal and cries of pain. Arthur slashed to the right before swinging back to left, Excalibur neatly cutting the man in half. A cruel laugh sounded behind him, and the king twisted to see the pale, dark-haired man standing behind him.

"Mordred!"

"King Arthur." Mordred bowed sarcastically before charging at Arthur. They exchanged blows, dominance continuously switching between the two. Several minutes later the king was steadily beating Mordred down, but then he tripped on a fallen spear. Stumbling, he saw the death blow coming and instinctively cried out to Merlin in his head. The sword stabbed into his stomach and the faces of all his friends and family flashed before his eyes. This gave him strength enough to pierce the gloating Mordred through the heart, killing him instantly. The world spun around Arthur and went dark as he collapsed.

_  
__**It's the start of something new  
It feels so right  
To be here with you**_

_**And now looking in your eyes  
I feel in my heart  
That it's the start  
Of something new**_

_Merlin!_

The mental shout rang through his head. Merlin had taught Arthur the ability not long after his powers were revealed, in case of emergency only. The warlock had no time to reflect: Arthur was in trouble and needed him. Merlin was in the midst of a duel with an evil sorceress. The thought of Arthur in danger spurred him on, increasing his power and taking the sorceress by surprise. Merlin had already teleported to Arthur's side before she even hit the ground. The king lay in the mud, blood pouring from his stomach. The cause of his injury lay nearby. Arthur's eyes cracked open.

"Merlin?"

"Shhh. It'll be ok. I'll look after you." Merlin gathered his dearest friend, the other side of the coin, in his arms. His eyes flashed gold as he cried out in voice that echoed around the battlefield, drawing every soldier to a standstill.

"King Arthur is dead! When Albion truly has need of us, we will return!"

Lightning flashed and thunder cracked as Merlin and Arthur disappeared off the face of the earth._  
_

_**It feels so right  
To be here with you  
And now looking in your eyes  
I feel in my heart  
The start of something new **_

Merlin stepped out of the shadow of the trees, Arthur cradled in his arms. The king clutched Excalibur in his hands as he looked over the perfectly smooth lake wreathed in fog. Merlin gently lowered Arthur to the ground and ran his fingers over the stomach wound. The skin knitted together seamlessly.

"Merlin, what are we doing here? We should go back to the battle."

"I'm sorry but we can't go back."

"Why?"

"I'm afraid that it was your time to die. There was nothing I could do to prevent it."

"Then why am I still here?"

"I have made a deal with the gods of the Old Religion. They will allow us to reside together in Avalon for all eternity. Forever in paradise." Merlin beamed at his friend, who looked troubled.

"What's the catch?"

"We must return to this earth whenever Albion truly needs us, to help fight evil and bring peace."

"Doesn't sound too bad...." Arthur trailed off as a raft appeared out of the mist, poled by four women. Morgana smiled at them, looking like her young self, not the evil sorceress she had become after Arthur's coronation. Nimueh bowed, full of grace and beauty. Queen Igraine engulfed Arthur in a big hug as Merlin returned Excalibur back into the care of the Lady of the Lake. Years melted of both men as they stepped onto the raft and began their new existence in Avalon.

_  
__**The start of something new  
The start of something newwww**_

**The whole idea behind this is showing the different stages of Merlin and Arthur's relationship from their first meeting to their final sleep. It's a bit longer than I thought but please read & review. Please, please, please? **


End file.
